Captain Beckett
by DreamGirl47
Summary: Season 8 AU without the whole Locksat storyline. Castle and Beckett face the unexpected and are forced to mould their lives around it.
1. Chapter 1

He can see it in her eyes. Seven years of practice made it easy for him to read her features better than anyone else. She has been asked to make a decision, a big one, and no matter what she choses to do next, he'll be there by her side, but the truth is, her two options will affect their life in so many levels.

He's sitting in his usual spot next to her desk, observing her, her gaze heavy as she closes the file and stands up to clean the murder board, her moves calculated and slow, as if she's sipping in the moment. Castle knows what's running through her mind: that could have possibly been her last case before she becomes captain, or worse, it could have been her last case ever if she choses to run for state senator.

She must have been really deep in thought because when he touches her shoulder she startles.

"Ready to go home?" He asks and she gives him a soft smile. What would she do without that wonderful man, always giving her the deserved space to figure things out.

"Yes, let's go" She grabs her jacket and with tangled arms the couple leaves the precinct to what could possibly be a last time.

The next morning Beckett wakes up throwing up, leaving Castle very concerned. She doesn't eat anything for breakfast saying she won't be able to hold the food for long. The last time he had seen her in this level of stress was the day they got Bracken arrested for good, she had been taking trips to the bathroom the whole day.

"We can cancel you know? Mother and Alexis would completely understand" Castle suggests having a feeling the car drive wasn't a very good idea giving her condition.

"No way, we're both needing this getaway. It'll be good. Plus, I'm already feeling better" She added standing up ready to grab her toothbrush.

"If you say so, I'm no one to argue" Castle clarifies coming from behind her as she starts to brush her teeth and wrapping his arms around her waist. Their eyes locked in the bathroom mirror.

"Besides our wedding day, this will be the first time we're going to the Hamptons as a married couple." He sees the smile behind her foamy mouth. She spits the toothpaste to talk.

"I can't believe it has almost been a year"

"Time flies" He smiles, somewhat nostalgic.

"Before we know we'll be going to the Hamptons with our children" She giggles at her own comment but he can't help but be a bit taken back by her words. Yes, they had talked about it, multiple times actually, and now, the way she says it, makes him want to turn those talks into reality.

"We could always start trying" He blurts out before his mind can stop him. Beckett spits the water out and locks eyes with him again through the mirror, then gets a hold of his arms around her, keeping him close.

"There's nothing else I want more in the world right now" He kisses her neck and she applies more pressure on the way her back rests against his chest.

"I sense a 'but' coming" Castle says and he's pretty sure he even knows what it is about.

"With the job change do you really think it'd be a good time? I mean, shouldn't we be looking for stability right now?" Once again, he can read her, the way her eyes brighten at the topic and the way she unconsciously pulls him closer to her. She wants this as much as he does, she's just scared.

He spins her around so her back is turned to the mirror and they're able to talk eye to eye. His hand finds her cheek and she leans in to the touch.

"What if…" he starts and the curiosity and the bright smile on her face glow brighter than the sun. _How is it possible not to love this woman?_ "you drop the pill and we just go with the flow?"

"When it happens, happens?" Castle can't help but crash his smile to hers, but quickly pulling back to speak.

"No pressure applied. Let's let mother nature do its job"

"We're gonna have a baby" Beckett suddenly blurts louder than they both expected and can't contain her excitement much longer, he just observes her, amused by the way she transitions from this sick person throwing up to this overjoyed mother-to-be. "I love you" she adds and before he can say it back, she jumps at him meeting their lips fiercely and needy.

Castle can't help but realize how much she's changed over their relationship course, two years before she couldn't even bare to talk about their future, afraid of losing everything they'd build over the beginning of their partnership, and now, she's openly and willingly talking to him about a life changing event that might mean them spending the rest of their lives together.

They arrive at their Hamptons house right before lunch time. Castle's glad Beckett didn't feel nauseous during the car ride and was really hopping lunch was already ready so she could eat something, since her dinner from the night before was flushed down the toilet that morning.

"We're hereee" Castle screams as he opens the front door and Beckett just rolls her eyes with a smirk at his childish ways. Alexis comes running from the kitchen to greet them both with hugs.

"I was just about to place the food on the table, you hungry?"

"Starving" The detective replies and a weight is lifted off Castle's shoulders.

"Good, because I made your favorite, spaghetti carbonara, dad's recipe" Alexis tells Kate and she can't stop the flush of adoration from the girl to creep up her body. Linking her arm to Beckett's after they had placed their bags on the foyer, the two girls walk to the table where Martha was already placing the food.

Later that night, after Martha is off to sleep and Alexis is out with some local friends, Castle pours two wine glasses and heads to the couch where his wife awaits him. The lights are all turned off with the exception of the one on the small table next to the couch, the Hamptons never felt like home until she came along.

He sits down next to her and she moves closer, their morning love making had definitely arose in her the craving for more. He hands her the wine and as soon as her hands touch the glass, he watches her eyes go wide, nose twisting, body stiffening and suddenly she turns as white as chalk.

"Oh my god" She whispers, her nose twisting a bit more and she closes her eyes. He immediately gets a hold of her wine "I'm gonna throw up" and then she runs as fast as she can to the nearest bathroom there is. He's on her feet as soon as he enters the bathroom, holding back her hair as the good husband he is.

"I'm going to make us some tea, go outside to breath some fresh air, it'll help."

When Castle steps onto porch with two mugs of chamomile tea and a blanket, Beckett is sitting on the swing bench facing the sea, eyes focused on the waves hitting the shoreline. He places the mugs on the small coffee table and sits next to her draping the blanket on both their backs, she instantly pulls her knees up to her chest as her head enchases on the crock of his neck, sniffing in his scent. His arms automatically wrapped around her, heart breaking as the first tears start rolling down her cheeks. Castle rests his chin on the top of her head, holding her tight against him.

What was wrong with her? When had Kate Beckett been one to cry over the stress of making a decision? He was aware she'd let her weapons down around him long ago, but _this_? This was not her.

"Talk to me Kate, what's on your mind?" He kisses her head once again. "Is it about the offers? Because you know that no matter what you chose I'll always be here to back you up, and you can do anything you want, you're more than capable"

She moves her head up so she can meet his blue eyes. "I'm just really confused, I don't know what to chose. Being Captain sounds so amazing, being able to stay with the boys, next to my roots, that precinct has been my whole life, but on the other hand, becoming senator will give me the ability to change the world in ways I never thought I'd be able to reach" She stops to sob in her own ocean of tears. "And then there was the baby talk" He immediately interrupts her.

"It wasn't my intention to stress you out with that, I'm sorry"

"No babe, no, the exact opposite." She grabs his face between her palms. "I can't wait any longer to have a baby, hell, we should've started trying on our wedding night!" He giggles a little "The point is, I'm regretting a little we didn't start trying sooner. If we had a small bundle of joy with us right now, I have a feeling my decision would be instantaneous, I wouldn't think twice because deep down I knew which one was the adequate choice for us to raise our baby."

"Then make your choice based on that." He stated and her answer, like she predicted, was instantaneous.

"I want to stay in the precinct" Beckett smiles up at him, his palm pushing back the hairs on her forehead. "That's what I want for me" she pecks his lips "and our family"

"Wonderful choice, Captain Beckett."


	2. Chapter 2

Castle is the first one to wake up the next morning, Kate's hair spread all over half her pillow and half his. His subconscious remembers the feeling of her body shifting the whole night. He couldn't think of anything else to help her get through what she was going: She has already made a decision, what else could be done to ease her stress?

Carefully not to wake her, he gymnasts his way out of her arms and leaves the room. Once he's in the kitchen, Castle greets the image of his mother trying to cook pancakes, and before she can burn the whole mansion down with her cooking inabilities, he's there to save the day.

"I just wanted to make some breakfast for you and Katherine" Martha tries to explain and Castle can't help but send her a grateful smile.

"I'll let Kate know about the generous gesture." He kisses her cheek "But would you rather have us both healthy and alive or sick and miserable?" He asks rising his eyebrow in mock before starting to clean up the mess that'd been made.

Castle starts working on new pancakes and the usual mugs of coffee as his mother places the table, while at the same time they talk about Martha's latest play. Castle notices that the table is set only for three people.

"Where's Alexis?" He suddenly feels a wave of concern take over his muscles.

"Don't worry, dear. She woke up really early to go on a yacht trip with Josie's family. She's safe"

"You consider being in a boat in the middle of the ocean safe?" Castle replies without any kind of hesitation. His mother simply laughs it off.

"If you're going to be this overprotective over your and Katherine's children she's going to…"

"…kill him. Yes that is very likely to happen" Beckett cuts in walking down the stairs in her silky robe. "Good morning, Martha" She kisses the older woman's cheek before moving to her husband and smashing her lips sweetly against his.

"The food smells amazing" She comments pecking his lips one more time.

"Mother helped" Castle tells her and Beckett looks at him surprised. "Sit, I'll serve us"

The three Castles sit on the table ready to start eating. Castle's eyes focused on Beckett as she takes a bite of her pancake with maple syrup and freezes, shifting her gaze between the food on her plate and the coffee inside her mug. Martha seems to catch her daughter-in-law's unusual behaviour, and both mother and son stare at the detective with interest. Until Beckett twists her nose and her eyes close for a breve moment. Having seen this before, Castle knows exactly what's about to happen next.

"Bathroom!" He demands quickly standing up and getting a hold of her hand, pulling her with him with large steps to the bathroom.

 _So much for staying healthy and alive._ Martha thinks remembering Castle's words earlier.

"I'm going to take a shower" Beckett announces already standing up from the cold tiled floor to flush the toilet.

"You sure you don't want to go to a doctor? I know you're stressed but you haven't eaten almost anything in the past two days" He follows her out the bathroom walking past the table where Martha sits worried.

"How are you feeling, darling? Richard told me you're very stressed, maybe a walk on the beach will help" Beckett weakly smiles at the woman's words.

"Maybe we'll do that later, thanks. I'm just going shower and see if this thing goes away" Beckett starts walking towards the stairs, Castle already on her tail.

The writer leans his body against the bathroom's door frame as she strips her clothes off, on any other occasion his eyes would have been attached to her chest or to the way she seductively shrugged her robe, but not at the moment.

"I'm expecting Gates to call me soon" She blurts out sinking her body in the still running water of their en suit tub. "She's passing over her spot to me today. She's 1PP starting tomorrow." _So that's what has been stressing her out… the phone call._

"And you're captain starting today" Castle states mostly to himself than to her. He sits on the edge of the tub closing the faucet once the water's high enough for her.

"Which means that tomorrow I'll have to sign off the offer of becoming senator. I mean how do you even do that?! Call someone to say 'No, thank you, but I don't want to became a state senator, instead I rather be payed ten times less for being a cop.'" He laughs a little at that but regrets it immediately as Beckett burns his skin with 'The Look'.

"You made the right choice and I'm really confident that, when the time comes, and if you'll still want to run for state senator, there will be a spot awaiting you" He bents down to kiss her forehead before leaving the bathroom.

When Beckett exits the bathroom Castle is just finished getting dressed. With bare feet, body wrapped in a short white towel and damp hair, she walks over to Castle who stands by the foot of their messy king size bed.

"I'm sorry I ruined our morning." She says wrapping her arms around his waist.

"You didn't ruin anything. I just want you to be ok, so don't ever apologize for not feeling good" He leans down to give her lips a quick peck before she speaks again.

"Anyway, I want to make it up to you. So I was thinking that maybe we could go to that supermarket downtown, grab some ingredients and I could cook for us." Castle looks at her lovingly "Make it a date night"

"I love the sound of that"

In the time span of an hour, the couple is entering the store. The Hamptons besides being quite small, is a vacation area, so when they get inside, it is only normal that the supermarket only has a couple of heads walking around.

"You get the rice, cheese and milk, I'll go down the aisle for the chicken and the vegetable oil" Beckett suggests and Castle immediately agrees.

When they meet again right in front of the cashier, Beckett is holding the shopping cart with the chicken, the vegetable oil, a bottle of Castle's shampoo and a couple more things she noticed were missing from their fridge. When the soon-to-be captain spots her husband he has his arms full.

"I didn't know we were going camping. Why so much food?" She asks as she starts to help him placing the products inside the cart. Chocolate, eggs, toothpaste… Beckett can't say she's surprised, after all he's Castle, and she knows he can't help but buy unnecessary stuff, he's just a compulsive shopper.

"I brought some more tea for you" He throws it in the cart as she adjusts the rest of the products "and tampons. I realized you forgot to pack them yesterday" He throws it and the pink box lands right into her hands.

 _Tampons._ He was right, she hadn't brought any with her. Beckett stared at the box attentive, thoughtful even. _Tampons. Tampons. Tampons…_

"Oh my god" Her eyes lock to Castle's when her mind travels to a place she isn't quite expecting. She can't even remember the last time she has used a tampon, _Has it been that long ago?_ Her brain tries to go back to the shelved memories on the back of her head to find the last time she has been on her period. _She can't remember._

Getting nervous all of the sudden, Beckett grabs her phone to open her calendar, looking to the last marked period day. This month, nothing. _Oh god._ Last month, nothing. _Oh my god._ Her body as stiffed as a rock now.

"Castle" His name leaves her mouth barely louder than a whisper, her heart in a mixture of fulfillness, confusion and anxiety, her hands sweaty and shacking. She hands him her phone and he unlocks it again with his fingerprint. First his face looks confused as he looks at the calendar, but when the date and words of P.D (Period Day) make sense, he starts to connect the dots in his mind, his head snaps in her direction instantly.

"Oh my god, Kate" Castle takes a deep breath and Beckett can feel the small smile of expectancy curve in the corner of his mouth. She had the same type of smile plastered all over her face.

Before they both know, they're searching for pregnancy tests at the store, Castle insisting that they take one of each just in case. Since the store only had two distinct brands, they end up with both on the cart.

The ride back to the house is silent, not the awkward kind, but the 'our-life-is-possibly-about-to-take-a-whole-new-turn' kind of silence, a comfortable and strangely domestic silence. None of them daring to speak before they can actually acknowledge a new growing life or simply a false alarm. There is way too much at stake here.

When the couple arrives home, way too distracted to even realize Martha's presence in the kitchen, they leave all bags on top of the counter with the exception of one, the one with the bathroom necessities, pregnancy tests included.

Castle grabs the bag and they both jog upstairs to the comfort of their room. Beckett pulls the boxes out of the bag and displays them on the bed.

"This is really happening" Castle states in disbelief more to himself than to her. He reaches out for her hand and squeezes it strongly.

"I just hope we don't get too excited and it ends up being nothing" She squeezes his hand back with fear. Beckett really wants this to be their future.

"Look at me" Castle grabs her chin and pulls it up so he can stare right into her eyes "If not today, we'll manage it in the near future. We're in this together, remember? _For the time of our lives?_ " He tells her and she smiles right back, feeling a weight being lift off her shoulders.

" _Always"_ Beckett replies. "Let's do this" She grabs the two boxes and heads into the bathroom, leaving Castle ready to set the timer outside. A minute or two later, she walks out and he immediately presses the one minute timer.

She runs into his arms and he keeps her close. This is everything they have always worked for, after years of denying feelings, after years of being in constant danger, after years of having the odds of the world working against them, after being through shots, abductions, amnesia, politicians, and everything else dark this world has to offer… Castle and Beckett are a minute away of discovering a brand new chapter of their life together.

"The minute is up"


	3. Chapter 3

"The minute is up"

"Oh my god, Castle" Beckett breaths out reaching for his hand and griping it strongly without even realizing it. "I'm not sure I can do this" She then looks up at him wide eyed and to her surprise he just laughs straight to her face.

"Have I ever told you how adorable you look when you're nervous?" He giggles placing his other hand on her cheek to pull her head closer so he can easily kiss her forehead "You'll look at one and I'll look at the other?" Castle then asks way too calm for her liking.

Both of them enter the bathroom. The cold tiled floor strikes right into their hearts, it's an intense feeling, their hearts are filled with an overwhelming wave that sinks them both deep in a sense of love. It's a life changing event, another defining moment in their already long love story.

"On three" Beckett tells him holding the plastic stick in her hands downwards, and so is Castle. They lock eyes and at that he starts counting.

"One" He can barely hear anything but the profound sound of her heavy breathing within the walls of her chest. Castle wonders if the fast and strong beat of his own heart against his bicep is as noticeable as he feels.

"Two" Kate Beckett always thought the most intense moment in her life had been the day she was to know if she'd been promoted to detective, how wrong had she been. This is a whole new proportion of intensity, but truth being said, she never, ever, thought she'd be able to experience this moment, not until Richard Castle had shown up and turned her entire world upside down.

"Three" And at the sound of his voice they both turn the sticks on their hands to come face to face with a brand new chapter of their relationship. So, suddenly, the world never made more sense from this couple's point of view.

"Oh my goodness" Beckett squeals like she hadn't in years, her hand flying up to cover her shocked open mouth. Castle's gaze meets hers and he can decipher the smile her eyes translate, he'd live the past eight years to see that contagious, infective happiness on her face, and all the accumulated years of practice were worth every second spent inside and outside that precinct with her. This moment Castle knows that Kate Beckett is not only his one and done, but also the mother of his future child.

"I..I have no words" And in a flash of a second they are throwing their arms at each other into a strong yet spontaneous hug, soft moans leaving their throats as a new kind of pleasure invades their souls. Not being able to contain her emotions in any longer, Beckett's eyes start freeing her honest tears. She lets go of the hug to grab Castle's cheeks in between her palms:

"I can't believe this is happening" She inhales heavily, her body radiating too many emotions at the same time, her eyes glowing.

"You're glowing, Kate" Castle replies also enable to leave this bubble they seem to have built. He feels her trying to deepen her gaze into his eyes, as if she is trying to see her eyes through his. It's a whole new level in their intimacy. They have never felt closer than now. Never.

"So are you, babe" Beckett says back realizing that what they are living is not a dream, it's real life. Their new life.

Castle grabs her waist, pulling her faster than he intended to him just to smash his lips against hers in a sweet passionate kiss. In her complete innocence, Beckett immediately reaches out for his shirt to start unbuttoning it, their mouths never separating. Castle feels the heat of her body against him and the thought that they have a baby of their own turns him on more than anything else she has ever done to seduce him. Touching the back of her tights with his two hands, she gets the message within milliseconds, jumps to wrap her legs around his wide waist and they fall into an already familiar, practiced, love making dance.

Within an hour, the couple is tangled in their bed. Kate's back rests against Castle's chest as she sits between the v of his legs, his arms are wrapped around her like she's the most precious thing he has ever touched.

"We should probably get back to the city" Beckett is the first one to burst the bubble. Castle moves his neck so he's able to rest his chin on her naked shoulder leaving a wet kiss on her neck before questioning:

"Why? Can't we just enjoy this" One of his hands moves up from her waist to rest on her flat stomach "here? Why go back?" Beckett inclines her head so her temple is glued to his.

"I need to be checked by my OB/GYN, we need to make sure that there's actually a baby in here" One of her hands finds the top of his in her stomach "And make sure that everything is alright"

"Think we can come back after you've been checked? I want us to celebrate here, in the Hamptons, and you can enjoy your last days off here in paradise, take the opportunity to relax, because in nine months…" Castle doesn't even need to finish that sentence before Beckett interrupts.

"This is just so surreal" She comments hugging his hands tighter against her abdomen. Her smile as bright as her shining eyes. "I just want to get checked, I don't want anything to go wrong. I'll make a call to see if there's any chance we can still get an appointment today, and if we do, we'll spend the night at the loft and come back first thing tomorrow" She turns to kiss his cheek "Deal?"

Thirty minutes later, the couple is on their way back to New York city, leaving a very confused Martha behind as they step outside the house with no complex explanation but a simple "We have to go to the city. We'll see you tomorrow".

"Katherine Castle? Dr. Robbins is ready for you" Both Castle and Beckett stand up faster than the speed of lightning following the receptionist through the long corridors. The young woman opens the door only to reveal a blonde and short doctor.

"Please take a seat" Dr. Robbins says once they are fully inside the room. "So Mrs. Castle, what brings you here today?"

For a moment, Beckett glances over at Castle with a hint of uncertainty in her eyes, but just the simple act of his nod seems to be encouragement enough for her to proceed.

"I've been missing my period and in the last couple of days the trips to the bathroom to throw up have been frequent. The pregnancy tests this morning came back positive" She feels Castle's hand in hers by the arm of the chair.

"And you want to make sure that those were correct, right?" Robbins questions with a small smile.

"Exactly" Both the writer and the detective answer in sync. That earns a small giggle from the three people in the room.

Beckett moves to the examination bed with Castle always by her side and his eyes bright with a happiness hers also reflect. As Kate lays on the bed Castle sits at one of the sides holding on to her free hand (The other one holding her shirt up, as she was told) and Dr. Robbins sits on the other side where all the machines are in display.

"This is going to be cold" And before Beckett can respond, she is flinching at the cold sensation. Her eyes flicker to Castle and she can see that his attention is not on her, but on the small monitor with the black and white scan. She can't help but be hit by a tsunami of adoration for the man that sits by her side. How happy he looks, excited and in awe, he is everything she has ever hoped a man would be, and the fact that he is all hers 'till death do us apart' still manages to make her heart skip a bit every now and then.

The ultrasound wand travels in circles in her stomach, and the doctor takes so long that for a moment there, Beckett thinks that the positive tests could have been a mistake. And then, in an instant, the whole world stops. The room is filled with a soft yet audible thick beat. Castle's hand suddenly tightens around hers and her eyes start to tear up on their own.

"Here is it" Dr. Robbins points to the small grey blip on the screen and for a couple of seconds Beckett is out of words, all that comes out of her mouth is a soft giggle that turns Castle's attention back to her. Their eyes meet and he believes that he's never seen his wife so full of emotion. Ever. She'd been through so much, they both had, but Beckett's past will have a weight on her permanently, and Castle can't help but be proud of himself for being able to be the one to carry away just a little bit of that weight from her, and now, he feels even more proud that they were able to create something that will permanently bring happiness to their lives as a contrast to the darkness.


	4. Chapter 4

Beckett wakes up the next morning with the weight of Castle's arm around her middle, a smile immediately invades her lips as her mind travels to the previous night activities.

After exiting the doctor's office the day before, both of them exploding with pure happiness, Beckett's phone rang, it was Gates. Much to Castle's disappointment, Kate took the opportunity that they were in the city to meet her superior in person instead of doing it via skype. Castle took the chance to get some writing done, since he had been hit with a wave of inspiration from the recent novelty of their small, soon extended, family. Kate met with Gates at one of the 1PP offices for a couple of hours in order to get the paper work done so she could officially be the new captain of the twelfth once she was back to work. Back home, the detective and her husband celebrated their latest addition like there was no tomorrow. It had been a night none of them will be forgetting anytime soon.

She's able to untangle herself from Castle's embrace, grabs his blue shirt from the floor and puts it on, not even bothering to button it since they were home alone. She reaches the kitchen and immediately runs straight for the coffee machine. _Decaf._ She tries to make the best coffee she can, but gives up after the second try. It doesn't taste good, it's awful and if she keeps trying she'll just get frustrated. She needs him. She needs Castle to work his coffee expertise on a decaf for her to drink. 4 years before she wouldn't let herself admit it, maybe not even a year before, but she's come to realize that she has grown dependent of Castle's coffee, everything that wasn't made by him wasn't good.

When the writer emerges from the bedroom, wearing only his boxers, he's struck by an image of Beckett grunting as she throws a full mug of coffee into the kitchen sink, she looks…pissed. _Oh no, what had he gotten himself into?_ She already has a strong personality, now add the hormones… that's going to be the death of him.

"Everything ok?" He asks when reaching the kitchen area. Beckett turns around leaving the mug on the counter and once he's within her personal bubble, she crashes her body to his. "Hum…ok…" he mumbles confused by the sudden display of affection, but kisses the top of her head in return. She kisses his bicep before pulling away aggressively.

"No" Ok, yes, she IS angry "Everything is not ok" Her hands are flying around reflecting her feelings "I want coffee. I NEED coffee" Beckett points to the sink where various attempts of a cup of coffee are clear. "I tried the decaf. I did" She keeps gesturing in exaggeration "But I can't make it, not like you do" The detective gives up, letting her arms sink by the sides of her body.

 _That's why she was angry? Oh god, he is so doomed with this woman_. He laughs, he merely laughs at the situation, mostly because she looks so cute when she's angry, or maybe because the situation itself is just ridiculous.

"Are you laughing?" Her tone is suddenly accusative. _Do not mess with that woman_. "This is serious Castle" Before she can say anything else he starts moving around the kitchen in order to get her decaf done.

He wants to tell her she looks adorable when she's angry about little things like these, but he knows better than that, he has a feeling that would make her even more angry, and Castle definitely doesn't want to be on her black list.

Five minutes later he is handing her coffee "Here, my love. Enjoy your first decaf" Beckett's hand immediately reaches for the mug and her lips attach to his on the same timeline, allowing them both to moan at the so familiar sensation of each other's presence.

An hour later, the couple is on their journey back to the Hamptons. Halfway on the road, something pops up on Beckett's mind.

"Should we start announcing?" Castle's eyes meet hers in a flicker of a second only to focus right back on the road in front of him, but he is all ears. "I mean I don't want anything to go wrong and then have to explain it to everyone. Not to say that I still have to get checked by my cardiologist" _Right, the shooting._ The writer suddenly feels guilty for not even having remembered about that, about her well-being. For god's sake, she had been shot, gone through a high-risk surgery, how could have he forgotten that!

She must have caught his expression of horror because she's able to read his thoughts "That's ok babe. I don't blame you. I myself just remembered it this morning. We were too caught up on the news" He throws her a grateful smile for her understanding.

"You're just six weeks along. We should probably wait for the three-month limit. But don't stress, nothing will go wrong" Castle's right hand finds her tight as he says this, caressing it smoothly with his thumb.

"But what about you're your mom and Alexis? Martha might not be a detective, but she's been a mom before, she'll see right through me. And Alexis, this is a big deal for her too, she's been an only child for 22 years, I don't want her to feel like we hid it from her."

For not the first time, Castle is taken back by the commitment Kate's created with both his mother and daughter, how she considers every possible scenario of their feelings.

"What about your dad?" He asks back.

"He is not around us as much Alexis and Martha are, he wouldn't notice the difference in my behaviour. And again, what IF something goes wrong? I don't want him to go through a loss once again, to feel the grieve invade his habits once more, I have to protect him from that. Martha and Alexis are stronger than that." She has a point there.

"Speaking of Alexis, don't worry about her, she's a grown woman, she is mature enough to deal with a new sibling." _He thinks._ "Plus, I really think she'll be thrilled. When she was younger she always kept asking for a baby sister, because all her friends had siblings"

"Yes, Castle but she's not a kid anymore, like you said, she's a grown woman, she might not want a _baby sister_ anymore"

"Kate, now you're overthinking it, our love life is none of Alexis' business, if we want to have a baby, she has to accept it. And she will love the idea, you know her" Truth being said Kate feels like she and his daughter weren't that close, they had never had that turning point on their relationship, the ex-detective feels like she'll always just be 'the woman her dad married". "We should probably be having this conversation on solid territory, not on a moving vehicle" Castle adds pausing the conversation there.

As the couple walks through the mansion, they find Alexis sitting on the couch with a book on her hands, wearing her bikini and a pair of shorts. The redhead notices their presence and immediately places the bookmark in between the pages, putting the book down in front of her on the cushions.

"Hey guys." Castle walks over and kisses the top of her head before sitting down next to her. "Grams said you had to go back to the city, everything okay?" The girl seemed genuinely worried. Beckett is now sitting next to Castle, leaving the writer in the middle of his two girls. Kate sends him a discreet look. _Too soon._

"Kate had to meet with Gates" He looks to his left side smiling at her brightly, then turns to his right back at Alexis "She's officially the captain of the twelfth precinct!" He happily announces and she feels her blood flushing up her face. Alexis' eyes widen and she inclines her body to be able to see Kate's face.

"Oh my god. That's amazing Kate. Congratulations" For a moment there Beckett feels shy, it feels weird to have someone congratulate her on a promotion. She wonders what it'll feel like when they announce the pregnancy.

"Thanks Alexis" She nervously responds. "Where's Martha?" Castle's head. Turns to his daughter as they both await an answer.

"Oh, she's gone for the next three days, spa retreat promotion" Castle laughs, huffing an 'off course' under his breath. That is so like his mother. Beckett slaps the back of his head in mock and Alexis just laughs.

"We'll leave you to your book." Beckett stands up, Castle immediately following her lead. She turns her head to him with a teasing seduction hidden behind it "Swimming pool?" _Oh, yes of course_.

With both of them already in the water, Beckett reclined against one of the sides with Castle happily in front of her, one of his arms pressed on the same wall her body rests in, all his weigh transferred to that arm, the subject comes up again.

"Thank you for not saying anything to Alexis" She says. Their bodies so close that he can feel her breath against his jaw.

"Always" Castle kisses her forehead. But Beckett knows him better than anyone else.

"I sense a but coming" He gives her an innocent look because he knew she'd say that. "Spill it"

"I don't understand why you're so hesitant about Alexis. You have no reasons to" Her hand finds his extended arm and starts rubbing it up and down, not in a seductive way, it was just a caressing innocent gesture.

"I'm just nervous about her reaction" It isn't a complete lie. And followed by the insecurity comes a wave of insane courage. "But you are right, I shouldn't be hesitant." He kisses the tip of her nose and she lets out a girlish giggle… so much for her Kate Beckett-tough-and-cold detective reputation…

"Look, we don't need to tell Alexis or my mother right away, we'll wait as long as we need, ok?" Beckett smiles up at him her hands still rubbing his arm up and down "But I just want you to know that there is nothing to be worried about."

"Ok. Yeah. Maybe you're right"

"Maybe I'm right?!" He pretends to be offended using one the exaggerated expressions he's known for "Beckett, I thought you knew better than that, I am ALWAYS right" Her head falls back and her smile frees wild, then she speaks:

"Hold back your ego, will you? I just hope our child doesn't inherit that from you" She sends him a smirk but his mind is held to something else, she's quite lost for a moment not really catching up his thoughts.

"Did you hear what you just said?" Castle asks but she looks even more confused "Exactly" he pauses "You said it so naturally that you can't even remember. 'our child' you said 'our child'. How amazing is that?"

'Unintentionally', her arms find the back of his neck, and as Castle feels her movements begin, the hand that it's not carrying his weigh against the pool wall finds her hip, immediately starting to play with the lace of the side of her bikini bottom, she pushes his smile down and crashes it to her in a kiss that was only meant to be a peck in the lips. But when Castle's other hand reaches for her damp hair and his fingers start to massage her scalp, the kiss takes a whole different direction. Without even realizing, she is the one to ask for permission to enter his mouth, which he very gladly accepts as they now start a heated battle with their tongues, and when Castle bites her bottom lip at the same time she squeezes his ass, they are not sure whose moans belong to whom. Beckett's hand finds the hem of his swimming trunks and very fast she's sliding her hand inside. Beckett is ready to start digging her recently manicured nails to his ass skin, when someone coughs and they both jump letting go of each other immediately.

"Oh my god" Kate gulps in a whisper trying to hide her face on the crock of Castle's neck.

"Get a room, you guys. I was not even 20 feet away from you" Although Alexis tries to look serious, Castle knows her enough to spot the comedy of the situation in the corner of her eyes. He glances down at Kate on his shoulder and she is as bright as a tomato. He wants to laugh but before he could even think about it, his wife is sending him a side way glance of 'don't you dare'.

"Gina is calling you dad" Alexis adds and that's when the couple notices Castle's phone on the redhead's hand with a picture of a devil under Gina's name.


	5. Chapter 5

Three weeks later, Castle and Beckett have found their routine again. With Beckett being captain, Castle is very comfortable with the fact that she doesn't have to chase criminals anymore, he is very happy with her being in the comfort of her office. _The majority of the time._

"Hey Castle" Ryan says as Castle appears by the boys' desks "Where were you this morning?" The detective adds.

"Good morning boys" Castle replies with kind of happiness that people aren't used to, not that he is usually a grumpy kind of guy, but this sudden extra contentment with being alive, is due to their new addition to the family that no one knows about just yet. "I took the morning to get some writing done. Here to take Beckett out for lunch" He proudly announces.

"Good luck with that, bro" Esposito says as he licks the frosting from the donut out of his fingers. Castle merely looks at him confused. "Dude, don't look at me like that. I don't know what the hell you and your wife do when you're alone, but she's been awfully tired"

Castle glances in the direction of her office only to find Beckett laying on the couch with her eyes closed, her hand gently placed on the hem of her skirt by her waist, on top of her stomach. _So much for being careful_.

"Ohh, we do know what they do when they're alone" Castle hears Ryan whisper back to Espo, though he doesn't turn around to face them again.

"Ewww, dude please take that back. Now I have a very unpleasant picture in my brain" Esposito whines "How am I supposed to work now?" Both detectives turn to Castle but find him already walking away.

Castle silently opens the door to the office, reminding himself to lower the blinds that his wife always forgets exist. She doesn't move an inch, her breath is so slow that it warms the writer's heart that she's so relaxed. He squats by her side, one hand finding the couch in the space between her shoulder and the crock of her neck, the other sliding under her own on top of her still unnoticeable bump. She shifts a bit. It's when his lips find hers in the slightest of the kisses that he knows she's truly awake.

"Rick" The captain murmurs without even opening her eyes. His hand rubs the clothing by her middle and the movement stirs her awake, her body stiffening as she sits down rapidly once she remembers where they are.

"Don't worry. Blinds are down." Her body relaxes. "Though, try to put them down before falling asleep next time. That hand of yours over our child could've given us away." He declares standing and pulling her with him.

"I'm sorry" She rubs her face "I don't even remember moving to the couch. What time is it?" Beckett walks over to her desk and sits down, Castle sits opposite from her.

"1:10pm. I came over to take you out for lunch. I thought Remy's?" Her eyes brighten just at the name, her head instantly snapping in his direction.

"Humm… I could sooo use one of those milkshakes." Her body sinks down her chair, arms melting by the sides, her teeth bite her lower lip and her eyes close as she daydreams about the beverage.

"So, what will you be having, darlings?" May, the Remy's waitress that is already very accustomed to having the couple stopping by every week, asks.

"Cheeseburger and a chocolate milkshake for me, please" Castle answers and the woman's head turns to Beckett.

"I'll go with a double cheeseburger, no pickles, but extra fries with that garlic sauce aside, strawberry milkshake but double the strawberry, oh, and those cheese fingers you always have in excess from the day before, they are very crispy, I love them" Beckett explains and both Castle and the waitress look at her in disbelief. Eventually turning to each other to exchange a look only to turn back to the captain with a shrug of shoulders.

"And for dessert?" May continues trying to maintain her best neutral expression.

"Oh, two brownies, please" Beckett doesn't even give Castle the chance to open his mouth. The waitress writes it down in her small pad and leaves the pair alone to get their orders ready.

"You are very hungry today" The writer points out with a mischievous smirk. Then he feels it, her bare foot rubbing his ankle at a slow pace. Castle jumps in surprise.

"What can I say" She keeps going up "This kid of ours keeps giving me cravings" Even though her foot is now on top of the fabric of his pants, Castle can't help the chill that travels up his spine when she reaches the inside of his thigh. He breathes in deeply.

"You're playing a dangerous game here, Mrs. Castle" He says in a warning tone.

"It makes you want me, right?" She asks adding a seductive wink by the end of that sentence. Beckett reaches his groin and feels his whole body stiffen. Reacting to her. The sexual tension they've had from the beginning of their partnership, never seemed to fade, but now with the pregnancy hormones, lately, they've been breaking every imaginable scale.

"I always want you" He barely manages to get the words out.

"Show me" Her foot is back to the floor but Castle doesn't seem to notice her retirement, the damage is already done.

Castle suddenly stands up, taking her by surprise, but Beckett's even more stupefied when he walks over to her and grabs her arm abruptly, standing her up. Next thing she knows, they are locked inside the woman's toilet.

"I didn't think you'd actually be willing to do this" Beckett informs him in between chuckles as she observes as he undoes his belt and his pants fall down. The bulge inside his boxers already obvious.

"Shut up" Castle says and crashes his lips to hers so hungrily that her body falls back crashing her against the wall.

"Oh god" She moans when his mouth finds her neck. He is driving her crazy. Castle's hands at her hips are strong, possessive even, like he is making sure she is not going anywhere, that she's his, but when those talented hands move down to the end of her skirt and start pulling it up, her mind flips.

"We…ha...have to be…fast" He manages to remind her when he feels her reaching for his waist in a blind search for the hem of his boxers.

"And quiet. Ohhhh" She cries out when his boxers meet the pants on the floor and he grinds his hips against her already soaked wet panties. Fiercely. He pins her harder, needier. "Please" And so he obeys.

Not even bothering to take off her thong, Castle moves the fabric aside to be able to have his way into her, slamming hard.

"Ahhh" She doesn't realize from which one of them comes the moan, but when her husband's hand covers her mouth in a flash, she figures it belonged to her.

His hand leaves her mouth as fast as it covered it, he needs to keep her steady against the wall, hands supporting her weight behind her thighs as her legs are wrapped around his waist. He keeps burying his cock deeper into her core, his face hidden by her neck with him furiously enjoying the taste of her skin, the movement of her heartbeat against his hot sucks pleasuring him immensely.

"Uhhmm" Leaves Castle's mouth, the sound coming from the back of his throat as he finds a new angle that suits them both better. Stronger.

"Harder" Beckett pleads, instants later, her teeth are nipping the curve connecting his neck to his shoulder. Suddenly, she feels his hand in between them, in search for her most sensitive spot, and when his two fingers reach her clitoris in an abrupt gesture, she loses it all: her hands on his hair start scrapping his skull aggressively and her teeth bite his skin as if she was a cannibal, hungry for him, like her life depended on it. Castle lets out a sound that alerts her that she might be hurting him, but when his thrusts get faster, dirtier and sloppier, she knows he's enjoying it, that he is close to release too. Then his fingers curl inside of her, and she knows she's about to cum soon. Her head falls back in pure redemption, Castle takes the opportunity to move his mouth to the front of her neck. Their bodies melt in each other's once more.

Later that afternoon

The couple is sitting inside Beckett's office, the Captain fully concentrated completing her boring duties, and Castle, as usual, procrastinating his writing job by sitting opposite from her playing angry birds on his phone.

"Don't you know how to play that thing without those annoying sounds?" Beckett complains sighing, rolling her eyes and dropping the pen on her right hand hard on the table.

"There's no fun in that. The sound effects are all part of the experience" He replies and the captain simply rolls back her eyes once more and returns to her boring paperwork. Castle knows better, so three seconds later the sound effects of the game are turned off.

Both their attentions are cut off by a knock on the door, the couple's heads turn simultaneously to find Esposito and Ryan popping their heads inside Beckett's office.

"Guys, we're heading to the Old Haunt with Lanie and Jenny is meeting us there, care to join us?" Espo takes the lead. Castle looks at her with questioning eyes, not because he is waiting for her approval but because they both know what going to the bar implies. Drinks.

"I'm just finishing signing this and we'll meet you there, kay?" Beckett responds and the boys leave the room with a simple 'cya soon'.

"Kate, you do know you can't drink, right?" She can tell by his face that the writer is panicking.

"Who told you I'm going to drink?" She questions back signing the last of her papers.

"You're going blow up our cover by not drinking in front of them." He stands up and grabs her coat to help her in it. "We're both social drinkers"

"I'm sure you'll think of something in the meantime, babe" She winks at him and with that they leave the office. Castle already trying to come up with something reasonable.

Castle parks his car right in front of the bar, the perks of being the owner come with a private parking space. He exits the vehicle and before Beckett can't even think about moving, he is opening her door for her to leave.

"Very kind of you, Mr. Castle" She role plays.

"Anything for my pregnant wife" He winks as she walks past him.

"Ssh! Don't you dare bring that topic inside" The captain threatens.

Turns out that Castle didn't pull up the subject, the subject pulled them. _Typical Caskett style_.

They sit side by side on the table full of their closest friends, Castle's hand protectively over Kate's tight. Ryan is about to open his mouth to say something when the bartender approaches the crime duo with their drinks.

"A beer for the boss" Bob, the bartender, points out before grabbing the other glass and giving Beckett a mischievous grin "And a whiskey for the lady" _oh, I see what you did there_ She thinks at the same time Castle's hand squeezes her leg.

"Damn girl, going straight to the strong stuff, are we?" Lanie, who is sitting against the window on Kate's other side, notes.

"What can I say, Captain's work a lot more exhausting than I thought would ever be" "Okay, okay" Esposito interjects immediately before someone can speak in his turn "before y'all get your asses drunk, honey milk here seem to have something to tell us."

Castle and Beckett look at each other expectantly "Do tell, my friends" The writer says.

"Well, we're kinda of waiting for baby number two" Jenny spills and the table is filled with cheering and congratulations fulfill the air.

"Congratulations, you two" Castle says and Beckett can say he is genuinely happy for their friends, his face lights up every time the word baby comes up in any conversation. "How's baby Sarah handling it?"

"Oh, we haven't told her just yet." Says Ryan

"I haven't reached the three month line yet. I wasn't even sure I wanted to start announcing but Kevin here was just so god damn excited to share this with you all" Jenny explains and they all notice that Ryan has a full on proud smile going on.

Castle doesn't need to look directly at his wife to feel her sigh, he is pretty sure they sighed at the same time for that matter. The wave of guilt washing over them as they remember they are keeping a pretty big secret from the friends they call family. But they've been over this a hundred times, they need to wait for the baby to be officially out of the 'danger zone' so that they can share their happiness with the world.

Kate Beckett is not one to publicly display affection often, it's part of her hard earned reputation, it was smoothed a bit when Castle and her started dating, even more when they got married, but the couple had always kept their intimacy within closed doors, even for small gestures like simple pecks in front of their friends. Ryan, Esposito and Lanie were more than accustomed to the eye sex, it had been there long before they were even a couple, it was part of who they were, yes, it sometimes grossed the guys out to watch them have a full display love session right in front of them, but they were used to it. But not to this...

Beckett turns to Castle and grabs his cheeks, he even gasps in surprise but goes with it, follows her movements. She crashes her mouth hard against his. Their eyes close, they take their time to savor the moment. And to Castle's surprise again, Beckett is the one to start with the tongue dance, but instead of bringing her, and him, back to the real world, Castle melts into the spell, allowing her into his mouth. They battle for a few minutes before coming to a break to take a breath, foreheads meeting for a rest, both of them breathless. "What was that for?" Castle barely manages to get the words out, almost unable to think.

"I just love you" She lets out her words, in a whispered affection. Castle knows her enough to recognize what's nothing for other people, but the way her voice trembled, lets him know that she just needed his comfort, someone to share the guilt with.

"I know you do, baby" He replies forgetting even further of where they were. When the couple turns back to the center of the table where they sit, they expected their friends to start protesting at how gross and inappropriate that was, but all they have are five faces covered in shock.

"What just happened?" Lanie wonders out loud. And after the shock come the bursting accusations:

"Guys, what the hell?" Goes Ryan.

"Gross, dude" Esposito twitches his nose "I just saw your tongue go down my lil sis throat"

"Stop! You're making it worse" Adds Lanie. "Kate, what's gotten into you?"

"Can't I just show my husband some love sometimes?" The captain replies with a sexy grin as she glances sideways at Castle and starts to blush. Castle just melts inside out, this new side of Kate, hormonal Kate, has him falling in love with her all over again. Not more, because he's pretty sure he already loves her as much as human kind can possibly love.

"I think I'm going to pass out" Esposito adds wide eyed, lifting his arm to call the bartender over to order another drink.

"You guys are so sweet" Jenny finally makes herself heard. "Stop looking so shocked, Kevin. It's not like you didn't know they actually kiss"

"Okay, okay…moving on" Ryan stops his wife, still a bit shaken.

"Let's make a toast to baby number two!" Espo says, glass already in hand.

"To baby number two!" They all cheer and take a sip of their delicious alcoholic drinks. And Kate's apple juice…

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	6. Chapter 6

At 4am Castle wakes up with a now familiar sound coming from their bathroom, at first, he tries to go back to sleep thinking it'll be over soon, but when the vomiting gets aggressive, he can't even think about sleeping again.

Kate's kneeled in front of the toilet seat, her hair tied up in a messy bun, she hears him walking in and Castle is pretty sure he'd never seen her so pale. Glass of milk kind of pale. She's got one arm supporting her weight against the seat and the other wrapped around her middle, she looks exhausted.

"How long have you been here?" The writer asks squatting beside her brushing a hand to smooth the baby hairs on top of her head.

"Maybe half an hour" Another vomit. Her hand on the toilet moves to his arm and grabs onto it strongly.

"You should've woken me up" He notes.

"You need to sleep too. So that at least one of us is functional during day time"

"You woke me up anyway" He states.

"Touché" Her eyes meet his and Castle can see the sleep taking over her face, even in the way her hold loosens slowly around his arm. And then another wave, more like a tsunami of nausea.

"Is it ok if I leave you to go make you some tea?" He asks clearly concerned, giving her now fragile condition. She smiles weakly at him, and her eyes sparkle with love. _Oh, this man. Her sweet man._

"Don't worry about me" She replies.

"It is my job to be worried about you 24/7" Castle kisses her sweaty forehead. "Pregnant or not"

20 minutes later, they're both lying in bed, backs against the headboard. Beckett's got her hands around the hot tea cup Castle made for her, and he's got his arm around her shoulders keeping her close to him.

"If all pregnancies are like this" She looks up at him slowly, as if she's afraid the nausea will come back with the movement "We're only doing this once" He chuckles at her. _How adorable._

"You should go back to sleep, I don't want you to feel tired tomorrow" He kisses the top of her head. She leans in to the gesture. He's always felt like home.

She shifts in bed just enough to be able to place the mug on the nightstand, then crawls back to his side.

"Just hold me tight" She tells him, adjusting herself against his chest.

"Always"

Now Castle is seriously starting to get worried. After her late-night show of nausea, the writer woke up again at 7am with his wife back on the bathroom floor in the same terrible state, and when they were taking a shower before driving to the precinct, she had to leave the shower tray so she could deposit her breakfast on the toilet. On their way to the precinct, she had asked him to drive because she was pretty sure her stomach wasn't done yet. And now, she had just stood up to walk to the boy's desks, when the nausea came back.

"Kate, let's go home" He tells her as he holds her hair back "Look at you, you look miserable"

"Jeez, Castle. Thanks" She's stopped, so he bents down to help her stand up. They leave the cubicle and move to the sinks.

"I'm serious" He forces the thought.

"And I'm telling you I'm totally fine" The captain replies before leaning down to turn on the faucet to wash her hands.

"You have to think about..." _The baby_ , he was about to say, but in that exact moment Karpowski walks in greeting them with a small smile "...yourself. If you don't feel good you go home, that's how it works"

"Not when you're the captain" Beckett throws, after spitting some water. Then she moves to the paper stack to dry her hands "We're ending this argument here"

"This is not an argument" Castle says frustrated but doesn't go further than that. He knows how stubborn she is, but he also knows how over protected he is over her. It is not like she is actually sick, she's pregnant.

They're back in her office when an unexpected visitor shows up, the reflex of her red hair radiating throughout the whole precinct. The Castles do have the ability to never go unnoticed in a crowd, even without trying. She moves to the office after greeting Ryan and Esposito.

"Hey, guys" Says Alexis as she steps into the room.

"Pumpkin? What are you doing here?" Castle questions as he folds his arms around his baby bird. Alexis goes around the desk to kiss Beckett's cheek, then moves around to sit on the chair next to her father.

"I need to talk to the both of you. Ask you something actually" Beckett glances over to Castle, eyebrow raised in curiosity yet confused. "And I need you to be completely okay with it, if you're not, tell me because I'll totally understand"

"Okay." Beckett says in order to get the girl to go through with her thought, the captain can see that it has been eating her mind up lately. All eyes focus on the redhead.

"I'm doing fine, I really am, but my landlord is raising my rent by a significant amount, and I was just wondering if..."

"Yes" Beckett answers the question before the girl is even able to ask it, and so does Castle.

"Did you really think we would oppose to you moving back in with us?" He inquires.

"Thank you. It'll be temporary, I promise, it's just until I find a new affordable place" Alexis exclaims and she can't seem to swipe the smile off her lips.

"But we need to warn you" Beckett starts and glances at Castle midsentence. The writer stands up to start closing the blinds of the office, not wanting raise the curiosity of the people watching them from their desks.

"Things will be getting different around the loft from now on" He adds before going around the desk to stand behind Beckett, his hands on her shoulders. The captain looks up at him and sees the smile on his lips, the proud smile he's been wearing for the past three months. She knows it's now or never. She looks back down, eyes on her stepdaughter, smile as wide as ever as Alexis' expression only grows more confused.

"I'm pregnant" Beckett finally splits out.

The girl lets out a surprised gasp, and her face blossoms once more to a happy expression. She then stands up and goes around the captain's desk to greet them both with a big bear family hug, Kate smashed awkwardly between them because she's sitting.

"Congratulations" She hugs Castle individually before leaning down to hug the mother of her first sibling "This is amazing. Thank you" Beckett happily reciprocates the hug.

"What are you thanking me for?" The captain questions once the girl lets go. Alexis turns to Castle.

"You really have no idea of how much I've always wanted siblings, do you?" She asks with a giddy smile alternating between them both. "I just thought I'd be a bit younger than what I am" She laughs. "I'm really happy for you guys. How far along are you?"

"Just reached twelve weeks a couple of days ago"

"She's starting to show now" Castle announces a bit too loud for her liking, clearly excited about the fact. Alexis glances down to her middle somewhat hoping she would see some obvious curve.

"You can barely tell if I'm wearing clothes like this" Beckett points to her suit jacket.

"This is why you have been extra touchy the last couple of months" Alexis sums, pointing between the two of them "I'm really, really happy for you"

"And here you were, afraid of her reaction" Castle whispers to his wife, once again, a bit too loud.

"You what?!" The redheaded girl questions, all too shocked. Beckett smacks Castle's middle and he groans in pain. Kate is now looking down at her hands as if in shame, shame for the thoughts that once crossed her mind for the girl in front of her.

"It's just..." She looks up at Castle for a breve moment, then glances down again "You were a family long before I came into the picture" She takes a breath and uses the moment to hang a piece of hair behind her ear, _Classic Beckett_ "It's probably stupid, but" she breaths "Never mind, forget what I just said"

"Hey" Alexis chimes "voice your thoughts" Castle isn't dumb, actually, he's anything but that, and so he takes those seconds of silence to exit the office, sensing the conversation about to start shouldn't be had in his presence, he's pretty sure he was the one thing keeping Kate's thought stuck inside.

The captain stands up, and starts hovering around the space. Alexis has observed her innumerous times to know that she does that to gather her thoughts. She waits a few moments before Beckett speaks:

"I've never really felt like I was completely accepted by you, and being married to your dad made me feel like I was stealing the most precious thing in your life, the one thing you never had to share with anyone."

Another breath. Alexis wanted to interrupt, but she knew well enough that the best she could do now was to let the woman talk, let her lay all her worries on the table, so that she'd feel better afterwards. "And to bring a baby into our already unconventional family? I wasn't sure how you'd take it. Seeing your own father having a child with a woman who is not your own? If it were to happen to me, I'd sure as hell be feeling left out" She stops there, and her eyes finally meet those already so familiar blue ones.

Alexis walks to her, as serene as ever, and Beckett doesn't know what to make out of that. Then the girl grabs her hands and leads her to the sofa by the entrance, sits next to her, closer than she'd ever expected they'd get.

"I swear I'm trying" The girl tries to compress a smile "I'm trying my best not to laugh at you. Because who thought?!"

"I'm confused" The captain declares.

"Who would've thought that you, of all people, New York's finest detective, isn't able to understand the obvious" She finally lets out a small chuckle, one that she was clearly trying hard to keep in.

"What's the obvious?"

"Kate, have you ever looked up to someone? Not a friend, not family, but someone who you truly admired for its achievements or personality?" Alexis asks her. Beckett's mind immediately reaches for one person alone. _Royce._

"Yes" She then answers.

"Tell me how you felt when around that one specific person"

"Intimidated, somewhat small when I was next to him, sometimes I felt like I didn't know how to reach him" Kate admits.

"There's your answer" States Alexis.

"What do you mean?"

"That's exactly how I feel around you. I mean, how can I not, look at yourself! Smart, well achieved, married, completely in love and in a healthy and loved relationship, all the good looks, you want me to go on?" The girl questions with a small smirk.

"I..." Beckett doesn't know what to say.

"It's not that I don't like you, it's actually the exact opposite. You're you, and I've looked up to you ever since dad started shadowing you" Beckett laughs "But things changed, you guys started to date and I stopped knowing how to act around you, how was I supposed to live in the shadow of a picture perfect woman?"

"Alexis" Kate grabs her hand "First of all I feel honoured that you feel that way about me, I really did misread the situation" She laughs, Beckett actually laughed at that now "But there's no need to feel like that, I'm not that amazing person you pictured in your mind, I'm far more flawed than what I let on" _Oh, Castle knows that better than anyone else_ "Have you noticed that it has almost been 4 years since I'm with your dad, and till now I managed to chicken out of having this talk with you? I'm a coward" She squeezes the young girl's hand "I don't want you to ever feel like I'm putting you under my shadow, because that's the last thing I ever want to do"

"Thank you. And I'm sorry if I led you on to believe those thoughts in your head. I'm really happy dad is doing this with you. I couldn't imagine him doing it with anyone else" The girl smiles right before reaching her arms out to hug the captain.

"Come're" Beckett whispers already leaning in to hug the girl. Hard. When they let go, Alexis notices something is wrong.

"Kate?" The captain's eyes are focused to her neck.

"Is that a new perfume?"

"No..." The hand carrying her wedding band travels to cover her mouth.

"I have to go" And she runs out the office. Bumping into Castle as he was waiting on the other side of the door.

"What happened?" Castle asked once his daughter meets him halfway.

"I don't think the baby liked my perfume very much"


End file.
